le, and cautiously
approached.

As we got nearer, we could make out the outline of a vessel lying at
anchor, head to wind, and conjectured that this must be the senior
officer's vessel, which we were told generally lay about two miles and a
half from the river's mouth, and which was obliged to show some sort of
light to the cruisers that were constantly under weigh right and left of
her. The plan of finding out this light, and using it as a guide to the
river's entrance, being shortly after this time discovered, the vessel
that carried it was moved into a different position every night, whereby
several blockade-runners came to grief.

Feeling pretty confident now of our position, we went on again at full
speed, and made out clearly the line of blockaders lying to the right
and left of the ship which showed the light; all excepting her being
apparently under weigh. Seeing an opening between the vessel at anchor
and the one on her left, we made a dash, and, thanks to our disguise and
great speed, got through without being seen, and made the most of our
way towards the land. As a strong current runs close inshore which is
constantly changing its course, and there were no lights or landmarks to
guide us, it was a matter of great difficulty to find the very narrow
entrance to the river.

We were now nearly out of danger from cruisers, who seldom ventured very
close inshore in the vicinity of the batteries; and our pilot, who had
been throughout the voyage in bodily fear of an American prison, began
to wake up, and, after looking well round, told us that he could make
out, over the long line of surf, a heap of sand called 'the mound,'
which was a mark for going into the river.

This good news emboldened us to show a small light from the inshore side
of the vessel; it was promptly answered by two lights being placed a
short distance apart on the beach, in such a position that, when the two
were brought into line, or, as the sailors call it, into one, the vessel
would be in the channel which led into the river. This being done
without interruption from the cruisers, we steamed in and anchored
safely under the batteries of Fort Fisher.

Being now perfectly safe, lights were at once lit, supper and grog
served out _ad libitum_, everybody congratulated everybody, and a
feeling of comfort and jollity, such as can only be experienced after
three nights' and three days' intense anxiety, possessed us all. On the
morning breaking